Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.“You’re pregnant.”“It’s a boy.” “Your son needs a heart transplant.”Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.Lies.Syllables and letters may … me.
Lies.
Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.
Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.
“He’s gone.”
For ten years, the darkness consumed me.
In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise.
“Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”
more
“@$#%¿&><®]|[|©|©>®»®££©@+$”
Yeah, that’s the best I can do without being flagged by Amazon and the word police. Holy Mind Blow! Seriously, tears freeze, reality creeps in, and you fear for everything you know.
Aly Martinez has yet again made me cry, feel, and long for the escape. The escape from the horrors of real life, the escape from an inevitable conclusion.
This book will force the reader to keep reading. There will be no stoppages, no timeouts. You will be glued to the pages. Turning them faster than you can read (to skip back because you realize in your zeal to know you skipped a paragraph) with a desperate longing for answers…
You realize it’s a duet! Then the light bulb flashes over head- you aren’t getting your answers yet. You need to wait…
So while you wait come me rock in the corner with me while I get over my…own personal breakdown…yeah, that’s what I’m recovering from.
AS IF…Darn you Ms. Martinez! It’s 1:02 AM and I’m now wide awake! sigh, oh!
(coughs) Ladies and gentlemen, this is your reviewer speaking. Please refrain from starting The Darkest Sunrise at night. If you are not capable of reading in a straight shot before bed, take tomorrow off. You will not be able to sleep. You will not be able to concentrate. Perhaps, if I were a good person, I would encourage you to wait…However, in all honesty. Buy it now. Believe me when I say you need the processing time. And now a quote from our characters…
” Well, that was anticlimactic”
Okay it’s a real quote but the complete opposite of everything this book is. It did however cause an epic snort/laugh that got me kicked out of bed…so there is that.
It is an edge of your seat story that may or may not trigger synapses in your brain. If you are crazy like me, you sent um…fanmail….(coughs “not so nice” messages) to the author on social media. If you aren’t picking up my crazy, you are still in for one Hell of a ride.
Put on some protective gear, grab tissues, and your comfort item (mines chocolate but I hear some like wine) because you will need it. Good luck enjoy it and if you need to rock in the corner- I’m over here! (points to nearest corner of Facebook and Goodreads)
reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
NO SPOILERS!
The Darkest Sunrise was MAGNIFICENT, and that’s putting it mildly! Aly Martinez completely blew my mind with the first part of Porter and Charlotte’s original, emotional, suspenseful, and unforgettable story. The storyline and characters were out of this world amazing, and I loved the author’s writing style. Aly Martinez gets better and better with every book she writes, and I can’t wait to devour The Brightest Sunset!
The storyline was mind-blowing and I’ve never read anything like it. The Darkest Sunrise was so much different than I expected, but even better than I imagined. I was captivated from beginning to end, and didn’t want to stop for one second, it was that phenomenal. I loved how Aly Martinez incorporated subtle hints of suspense along with such an emotional and beautiful story. She is exceptionally talented, and I’m definitely a fan for life. Her books are beyond anything I could ever dream possible, and I’m so excited to read more!
The characters were extraordinary. Porter Reese and Charlotte Mills completely stole my heart, and I loved them and their story with my entire being. Porter and Charlotte are my new favorite Aly Martinez characters, and I loved their personalities, red-hot chemistry together, and how the first part of their relationship/story progressed. I also loved reading the book from both Porter and Charlotte’s point of view, and all of their banter and interactions with each other. The first part of Porter and Charlotte’s story was incredibly unique, and I can’t wait to dive in to part two, The Brightest Sunset!
The Darkest Sunrise was a unique, emotional, slightly suspenseful, and utterly beautiful start to The Darkest Sunrise Duet, and I would HIGHLY recommend it! Aly Martinez has quickly become one of my top favorite authors, and she did an outstanding job with the first part of Porter and Charlotte’s story. I can’t wait to see what happens next in The Brightest Sunset!
Wow!! Wow.
So good! I was sucked in from page one. Such a great job bringing out the characters emotions. I felt everything and it was so much. So intense.
I would think one thing was going to happen then I would doubt myself and it was a race to read the pages so I could know what happened next! I needed to know.
My first read my this author but I’m just getting started!
Hard to put down
I really enjoyed this book, but wish it didn’t end with such a cliffhanger.
The Darkest Sunrise awakened every emotion possible. This is hands down my top read of 2017, and I’m shaking for book two! Easiest five stars of my life.
I listened to the audiobook of this story and what a great story it was. I absolutely loved the characters. This was such an emotional story and even though I kind of figured out in advance how things would play out, that didn’t take anything away from what a great story this one turned out to be. This story has it funny, heartfelt, heart stopping, heart pacing and steamy moments and I enjoyed every moment of it. I can’t wait to listen to the next story because this one ended with a huge cliffhanger and I most definitely need to know how Porter and Charlotte’s story end.
AHMAHGAH this book just blew my eff you see kay eye en gee mind away!
I finished it right before I made dinner. So I’m all making tacos, lost in thought with this story, I just couldn’t get over it. I made my husband come into the kitchen, sat him down while I’m making our tacos, told him to pretend to care for a second and word vomited the whole story out. I had to talk it out with someone and tag, you’re it! He sat there like a champ while my arms where flinging around, getting all animated talking about this story. I can’t believe I’m 257% invested in these fictional people! Gah this is why I love reading so much! Then, poor guy, we’re binging on Black Sail on Hulu and I made him pause the show so I could talk it out some more! I can’t stop thinking and talking about it! All I can say is, thank you Aly Martinez for not making us wait months for the conclusion. I already preordered the next one!
Holy cannoli, I recommend this one to everyone. A must read!
Whoa!
I’ve been a fan of Aly Martinez for a while now, and have loved everything that I’ve read of hers. And The Darkest Sunrise? What a trip this story takes you on! It follows Charlotte and Porter, both broken from situations in their past, while they try to help each other pull out of the dark. Both struggle individually, but together, they hope they can get through it.
This was quite an adventure! Parts seem like you can predict what is going to happen, but then you’re thrown for a loop! This is a duet, and while it ends on a cliffhanger, the follow-up releases about two weeks later. So worth it!!
I read a lot, and reread many books, as well. Many plots and characters I forget after a while, but I can tell you that this is one that will sit with me for a while!! Aly Martinez writes many memorable characters and stories, and this may top that list for me! Wow!
I don’t know why it took me so long to open this series…but happy I could read it without the wait since the cliffhanger in book 1 left lots of folks unhappy, I do not understand why.
Reese and Charlotte Mills, two tormented souls joined by loss.
She had a son and he disappeared 10 yrs ago, he is a single dad with a restaurant and 2 kids.
He is trying to get his son in to see her, but even in her specialty she doesn’t see kids because of her son. So happy that I could read this series together. AMAZING
4.5 stars!! This was definitely an emotional roller coaster. The ending was craziness!!
Charolette has had a horrible ten years. One moment changed the course of her entire life. Flash forward ten years and one moment brought her back to the light.
Porter has overcome a tragedy. One made my a sock person. Though he carries the guilt and shame his kids will always come first. Little did he know begging for a certain dr to help his son was going to flip his world upside down.
This book was hard. I couldn’t imagine anything happening to my children or even having a sick child. I absolutely loved the way these two sat in the darkness with each other.
Porter is perfect. He is facing his demons and trying to battle everyone else’s as well. He is good for Charolette.
I believe Charolette is what any mother would be in this situation. My heart hurts so bad for any woman who has faced this. Especially on their own. I could never imagine.
I was impressed with the authors medical knowledge and seeing as I am a respiratory therapist it is rare you get a lead character that is a pulmonologist. That’s my bread and butter I love it. And she did not disappoint.
The words were beautiful. Get the Kleenex and be ready to kick something when the book ends. Alright folks off to buy the next book, who needs sleep!
My heart is still not recovered from this book, this story which is so original yet leaving my nerves on end. A must read!
I just finished this book and I AM DEAD! Aly Martinez has killed me with her words and this gloriously emotional, twisted, suspenseful, angsty story. I have loved and hated every second of this book. It has torn me apart and left my heart bleeding on the ground in front of me. Martinez is a masterful storyteller. I have felt emotion in every word of this book. This review probably isn’t even making any sens because I am so twisted up inside. If you haven’t read this book yet, read it right now!
Let me start by saying that when I read The Retrieval Duet last year I was stunned stupid. I had no words. Nothing. I mean the story-line twist had twists! I blinked thru the entire thing AND LOVED EVERY WORD. So when the Darkest Sunrise came up to review I jumped. I jumped because I wanted the ridiculously talented words of Aly Martinez and I also wanted the challenge. I was totally like “she’s not getting me twice. i’m gonna focus and be on my game at all times with this” #challengeFAILED
This is an incredible roller-coaster of epic proportions ! And it’s only getting started. I cannot stress this enough … Aly Martinez is a force to be reckoned with #TRUTH When you think you know something she kinda makes you not trust yourself and then she swings back to maybe knowing something just to pull that rug right from under you …. you know nothing!! And that kids is the greatness she pours into every book she writes. She is a master manipulator of story-lines. I am in awe of her. I promise you that when you first start this book and when you come to it’s pause/end you will be emotionally spent on every level. Your heart will have shattered and pieced itself back together at least 10 times over. You will have have laughed and/or cried at too may points to even count. And in the end, your heart will sing so damn loud and you will have soooooooooo much hope. *sigh* #PorterReeseEffect
Do yourselves a favor and come on this journey with Porter and Charlotte. Not only because it is so well written, but because it’s real and relatable. Porter and Charlotte are two people that could be your neighbors. Their lives are marked with tragedy, each in their own right, and they are kismet to walk thru the darkness into the light holding each other’s hands …. both of their tragic circumstances happen every day a hundred times over to everyday people. This may be fiction, but it’s reality fiction. That’s all I can share with you for now. I REALLY REALLY hope it’s enough to convince you this is an epic story that everyone should experience.
I liked Porter and Charlotte a lot. I really liked that they found each other and were trying to help one another through such a darkness in their lives. I guessed the twist at around 20% so I was a little let down with that, but I can’t wait to start the next book because hopefully it will shed some light on the situation.
Cliffhanger so I feel cheated. ALL BOOKS SHOULD TELL YOU THAT UPFRONT. It was predictible anyway!.
This was one of my favorite books of 2018.
A heartbroken mother whose ill child vanished. A widowed man whose son has the same symptoms. When they find it’s the same child, how in the hell will they sort out their love for this boy along with their love for each other?
Excellent writing, an unpredictable plot, and genuine insights into the human psyche. Buy this book and read it.
Didn’t like how it ended. Left hanging and you must read the next book to see how it ends. Wasn’t enough in the characters to make me want to read the next book.
Great characters plus an emotional story that still had nice touches of humor
I recently read Across the Horizen, a standalone that takes place partly in parallel to The Darkest Sunrise duet, and loved it so much I knew I had to go back and read The Darkest Sunrise. Normally, these kinds of things get added to the bottom of my TBR, but not this time—I started it immediately. Note that the author does a great job of avoiding major spoilers for this duet in Across the Horizon and vise versa, so It doesn’t matter if you read the duet first or not.
This book had closer to the level of angst that I had expected from this author (Across the Horizon was my first book by her and it had a lot more laughs than I expected), but still had quite a bit of humor. I really liked how Porter and Charlotte had so much in common; their relationship made a lot of sense to me, and I loved how they brought out the best in each other. Great secondary characters here as well and having liked Tanner and Rita so much in the previous book I’d read, I really enjoyed the glimpses we got of them here.
The story easily kept my interest and I didn’t want to put it down. There was a literal OMG moment near the end where I had to stop and go back “Did that really say what I think it said?! O.M.G.!” So, yeah, there’s quite the cliff waiting for you. You’ve been warned.
Great characters plus an emotional story that still had nice touches of humor added up to a great read for me. One advantage in waiting to read this kind of book is that the conclusion is already out, so at least I know what I’ll be reading next. 5 stars